Moules Fromage Bleu

March 3, 2009.   1 Comments.   Categories Appetizers, Restaurant Recipes, Seafood.  

Moules Fromage Bleu

Growing up on the Mendocino Coast, we would pick mussels off of the rocks and steam them in wine on the beach.  Our recipes were not very inventive, but the mussels were always delicious.  Last night, I was watching Bobby Flay’s TV show Throwdown on the Food Network and was inspired to make the featured dish – Moules Fromage Blue (Mussels with Bleu Cheese).  It looked amazing and it was no surprise that local chef, Teddy Folkman beat Bobby Flay’s own mussel recipe.  I found this recipe online and wanted to upload it to my blog for future reference.  Next time I am in Washington DC, I intend to visit Teddy Folkman’s restaurant Dr. Granville Moore’s http://www.granvillemoores.com/

Teddy Folkman’s Moules Fromage Bleu

Serves one as a meal; two to four as an appetizer

1 1/4 pound rope-grown P.E.I. mussels

4 tablespoons blended oil (40 percent extra-virgin olive oil, 60 percent canola oil)

1/3 cup diced applewood-smoked bacon

1/3 cup thinly sliced shallots

1/4 cup Hook’s Blue Cheese, or a similar mild, creamy blue

1/3 cup white wine, preferably a dry Chardonnay

Juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup baby spinach, cleaned and destemmed

Sea salt, as needed

Black pepper, as needed

Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Cook the bacon until the fat is rendered and it is slightly browned.  Do not overcook or brown the bacon!  Add the shallots and mussels and toss together. Add the white wine and lemon juice and toss together.

When the mussels start to open, add half of blue cheese, melting it into the broth. As soon as all mussels are open, toss in the spinach. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

Plate the mussels and top them with the remainder of the blue cheese. Serve with a French baguette and frites.